Safety razors having a flexible razor blade band



Oct. 31, 1967 s. HANYSOM ETAL, 3,349,482

SAFETY RAZORS HAVING A FLEXIBLE RAZOR BLADE BAND Filed March 14, 1966 6 givirnoRsi M am 525' United States Patent P 3,349,482 SAFETY RAZORS HAVING A FLEXIBLE RAZOR BLADE BAND Bernard S. Hansom, Langley, and Frank F. Simpson, Staines, Middlesex, England, assignors to Wilkinson Sword Limited, London, England, a British company Filed Mar. 14, 1966, Ser. No. 534,233 Claims priority, application Great Britain, Mar. 19, 1965, 11,651/65 2 Claims. (Cl. 3040.1)

ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE A safety razor has an elongate cylindrical body in which are located guide wheels around which fit an endless flexible razor blade band. A guard is provided towards one end of the body and is provided with an opening through which a portion of the razor blade band is exposed for shaving. When the exposed portion of the band becomes ineffective for shaving a new portion of the band can be moved into the exposed position by turning a knurled wheel which is fast with one of the wheels around which the blade band passes.

This invention relates to razor blades and to razors for such blades.

According to the present invention there is provided a razor blade in the form of a continuous endless flexible "band.

Further according to the present invention there is provided a razor comprising a pair of wheels, and cover means supporting said wheels, said wheels being arranged to carry a flexible cutter member of endless band form and said cover means having an opening through which one portion of the cutter member can be exposed for use.

Still further according to the present invention there is provided a razor comprising a pair of spaced guide wheels, an elongate cover rotatably supporting one said guide wheel at or adjacent each end thereof, said guide Wheels being arranged to support a continuous flexible brand of razor blade strip, and means defining a guarded opening in said cover at which a portion of said strip can be exposed for use.

Yet further according to the present invention there is provided a razor comprising an elongate body, a guide wheel rotatably mounted Within the body at each end thereof, the axes of rotation of the two guide Wheels being parallel to one anoher, means fior adjusting the spacing of the two wheels, an endless flexible razor blade band of pear-shape cross-section trained around the wheels, a guard secured to the body through which guard the blade band passes and is exposed for use at two locations on said body and a knurled wheel fast for rotation with that guide wheel remote from the locations at which said blade is exposed, said knurled wheel serving to index the blade from one position in which its effectiveness has become impaired to a position in which a new cutting edge is presented at said locations.

Yet further according to the present invention there is provided a razor comprising an elongate body arranged to carry a razor blade of elongate strip form and having towards one end an opening through which a portion of said blade can be exposed, the other end acting as -a handle.

An embodiment of a razor in accordance with the invention will now be described, by way of example, with reference to the accompanying drawing, in which:

FIGURE 1 is a perspective view illustrating a mounting arrangement for a razor strip blade;

FIGURE 2 is a perspective view in the same direction as for FIGURE 1, but with a cover in place;

3,349,482 Patented Oct. 31, 1967 FIGURE 3 is an external view similar to FIGURE 2, but with the razor turned through ninety degrees; and

FIGURE 4 is a cross-section of the razor at the region where the strip blade is exposed.

Referring now to the drawing, the cutting edge in this construction of safety razor is provided by a strip of razor blade steel 10 of narrow width, for example of /8", the two ends of which are connected to form an endless band which is mounted on two pulley wheels 11, 12. The two ends may be welded together or may be connected by ap ropriate means and such means (not shown) may, if desired, be resilient to assist in maintaining the tension of the endless band when mounted on the pulley wheels 11, 12. Alternatively, one of the pulley wheels may be spring-biassed away from the other to tension the strip.

The two pulley wheels 11, 12 are rotatably mounted in a cover 13 which may be of a synthetic-resin, the cover having one or more openings therein through which a limited length 14, 15 of the band 10 is exposed to provide one or more cutting edges for shaving. Two lengths of the strip are, in part protected by a metal guard 16, the strip being positioned relative to the guard to provide a suitable angle of attack for shaving. If, as illustrated, two opposed sections of the strip are exposed, there is provided, in effect, a double-edged razor.

FIGURE 4 shows a cross-section through the razor showing two exposed cutting edges and the metal guard 16 also serves as a retaining clip for the strip, the two ends of the guard being sprung into engagement with slots in the synthetic-resin cover or body.

One of the pulleys is coupled to a feed Wheel 17, a portion of the knurled periphery of the latter projecting externally from the housing so that it can be turned to efiect movement of the band when the exposed portion has become worn and it is desired to expose a fresh portion of strip 10 for shaving. The band or strip may be provided with identification marking (not shown) to assist in winding forward to an unused portion.

When the whole length of the strip has been used, it may be re laced or, because of the relative cheapness of the supporting frame, it may be more economical for the complete razor to be discarded after the whole of the strip has been used.

We claim:

1. A razor comprising an elongate cylindrical body,

two guide wheels, said guide wheels being of equal diameter and being rotatably mounted within the body at respective ends thereof, the taxes of rotation of the two guide wheels being parallel to one another,

an endless flexible razor blade band trained around the wheels, the width of said band being narrow relative to its length,

a guard secured to the body adjacent one end thereof, said guard having at least one elongated aperture parallel to the longitudinal axis of the body, the blade band passing through said guard and being exposed for use at said aperture, and

a knurled wheel fast for rotation with that guide wheel which is located at the end of the body remote from said guard, rotation of said knurled wheel moving the portion of the blade band initially exposed for use away from the exposed position and moving an unused portion of the blade band into the exposed position.

2. A razor according to claim 1, wherein said elongate cylindrical body is a synthetic resin moulding and said guard is a metal insert in said moulding.

' (References on following page) UNITED References Cited FOREIGN PATENTS STATES PATENTS 12,233 5/ 1911 Great Britain. Davis 3O 40 1 221,070 8/1942 Switzerland.

ggji i 5 OTHELL M. SIMPSON, Primary Examiner. Fitzpatrick 30-40.1 MYRON C. KRUSE, Examiner.

Hansen 14688 

1. A RAZOR COMPRISING AN ELONGATE CYLINDRICAL BODY, TWO GUIDE WHEELS, SAID GUIDE WHEELS BEING OF EQUAL DIAMETER AND BEING ROTATABLY MOUNTED WITHIN THE BODY AT RESPECTIVE END THEREOF, THE AXIS OF ROTATION OF THE TWO GUIDE WHEELS BEING PARALLEL TO ONE ANOTHER, AN ENDLESS FLEXIBLE RAZOR BLADE BAND TRAINED AROUND THE WHEELS, THE WIDTH OF SAID BAND BEING NARROW RELATIVE TO ITS LENGTH, A GUARD SECURED TO THE BODY ADJACENT ONE END THEREOF, SAID GUARD HAVING AT LEAST ONE ELONGATED APERTURE 